Viva! and our supporters work together

Keep York foie-gras free!

SUCCESS!: May 2014 - York Food Festival - although they state that they will not take a position on the issue - have confirmed that foie-gras will not feature in any events they put on themselves and it will not feature in any festival listings of third party events. York City Council have also reiterated its commitment to ensuring that areas under its ownership and management will remain resolutely foie-gras free. Thank you to everyone who wrote!

Below is the action that was successful and has now ended. You can use the addresses to write to thank the organisers and the council.

The event organisers have stated that they will respect the city’s bylaws. However, at least one privately owned business in York now serves foie-gras (and others may follow suit), so please add your voice to those asking the organisers of the festival and York Council to strictly observe and enforce the city’s historic ruling and request that the festival does not list nor promote foie-gras – or events using it – as part of the festival in areas of the city that fall outside the council’s ruling.

Please keep all correspondence polite and to the point. Sample emails below.

As a potential visitor to York this year, I ask you to ensure that the city’s historic ruling banning foie-gras from council owned and operated properties is strictly enforced. Especially as some of this year’s Food Festival will take place in or around such areas.

Foie-gras is the grossly enlarged liver of a duck or goose and is essentially a disease, marketed as a delicacy. Birds raised for this 'gourmet' cruelty are force-fed enormous quantities of food through a long metal pipe, three times a day. This process of deliberate and painful overfeeding continues for up to a month by which time the birds' livers have swelled to ten times their normal size. Every year, around a million ducks die during this period of force-feeding.

Foie-gras is not produced in Britain, as the Government has made it clear that its production would contravene existing animal welfare regulations, but it is still perfectly legal to import it.

Sadly, at least one private establishment in York continues to serve this sick foodstuff so – although I know you have no legal powers to do so – please also contact private businesses and request that they too observe the spirit of the ruling.

As a potential visitor to York this year, I am asking you to make foie-gras persona non grata at this year’s event. I know that you are aware that foie-gras cannot be sold on council owned properties because of the historic 2007 ruling, but I urge you to ensure that its use is not promoted or listed by the festival outside of these areas.

Foie-gras is the grossly enlarged liver of a duck or goose and is essentially a disease, marketed as a delicacy. Birds raised for this 'gourmet' cruelty are force-fed enormous quantities of food through a long metal pipe, three times a day. This process of deliberate and painful overfeeding continues for up to a month by which time the birds' livers have swelled to ten times their normal size. Every year, around a million ducks die during this period of force-feeding.

Foie-gras is not produced in Britain, as the Government has made it clear that its production would contravene existing animal welfare regulations, but sit is still perfectly legal to import it.

Sadly, at least one private establishment in York continues to serve this sick foodstuff, and others may be tempted to join in as part of the festival, so please do not promote its use as part of the festival.